Thomas de Maizière: „The fact that one of the key figures of the terror attacks on US soil was able to plan the strike in Germany without being noticed was a huge shock. Immediately thereafter, security authorities carried out extensive changes to make sure this does not happen again.“

What are the exact changes that authorities implemented at the time?

De Maizière: „One model for success is the Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre (GTAZ) which was founded in 2004. Representatives of 40 various authorities, police forces and intelligence services are sharing information with each other within the framework of that program. It was a novelty at the time! It was very important after 9/11 to ensure unity in dealing with potential attackers. Potential attackers are people who give reason to believe that they are about to commit politically motivated crimes of significant importance. At over 520, their number is higher than ever before!“

Are they all suspected terrorists?

De Maizière: „No. Aside from the potential attackers, the states classify some 360 people as so-called „relevant persons“. Relevant persons are people who are closely affiliated to potential attackers and who lend assistance or provide logistical support in preparing a politically motivated attack of significant importance. Security authorities are working intensively in order to keep all potential terrorists under surveillance. There have been more investigations and arrests at levels not seen for many years. But we also must anticipate attacks by lone wolf terrorists who have yet to be identified.“

Can a group of people form a terrorist cell today like the one that was formed in 2001?

De Maizière: „In Autumn of 2007, security authorities arrested the „Sauerland Group“. The four Islamist militants had planned attacks on US soldiers. They were handed down long prison sentences. We targeted the group after receiving specific tip-offs by „friendly“ intelligence services, and we were able to arrest them before they committed the crime.“

German version

Who is posing a terrorist threat to Germany right now?

De Maizière: „Terrorism threat today emanates from both hit-teams from abroad and radicalized lone wolves in Germany. Hit-teams are secretly smuggled into Europe and prepare their actions without being noticed, as we saw with the attacks in Paris and Brussels. However, it is harder to discover radicalized lone wolves than hit-teams from abroad. They get radicalized with Islamist propaganda on the internet or by hate-preachers in backyard mosques. Unfortunately, both threats are very real.“

How did security authorities improve their work?

De Maizière: „We have improved national and international cooperation and are working at identifying potential attackers while they still reside in their home countries. To fight terrorism effectively, we must begin in the region from which terrorists and their murderous ideologies originate. We exchange information intensely with our partner authorities in crisis areas who provide intelligence that allow us to act in advance.“

Are you planning new anti-terror measures?

De Maizière: „We have done a lot of work and adopted a law just before summer break. In addition, we decided to create new jobs for police forces within the Federal government. The new „Passenger Name Record Directive“ in Europe will be an additional important instrument to combat terrorism. The aim is to check on all passengers from international flights to Europe over possible links to potential attackers and terror groups. Besides, the planned Entry-Exit-Registration System for the Schengen area will help us to determine who is entering Europe, where are they coming from, how long will they be staying and when will they be leaving again. That is going to make Europe a safer place, including Germany.“

Auch Interessant

But this is not going to spare us from attackers who use airplanes or trucks to commit their crimes...

De Maizière: „The aircrafts hijacked on 9/11 were viewed as a spectacular act by al-Qaeda terrorists. It was very important for the propanda machine then that the terror attacks were broadcast on TV across the globe. Luckily, it has become very difficult to hijack planes these days. However, terrorists don’t need TV propaganda to broadcast their successful attacks. For the ISIS propanda machine to thrive, all they need are smart phones and the internet. A terrorist, who plans such a cowardly attack like the one in Nice, can always count on the fact that he will be filmed and that the images will be aired all around the world.“

What is the difference between ISIS and al-Qaeda?

De Maizière: „Al-Qaeda and ISIS are both a band of terrorists and murderers. ISIS emerged as a competitor to al-Qaeda, because al-Qaeda wasn’t successful enough in the eyes of ISIS extremists. A crucial step was the proclamation of the so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Unlike al-Qaeda, he promised his followers a state and claimed territorial rights in the Middle East. While al-Qaeda wanted to steer the attacks of 9/11, Madrid and London, ISIS’ aim is to inspire their followers. And since ISIS has declared to create an Islamic State, a so-called caliphate, it is imperative to fight the terror group in the region by military means with a successful outcome. Germany’s contribution to the process is training Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and supplying them with equipment and materials.“

Are we really in a war against terrorism?

De Maizière: „Looking at it on a global scale, I can understand why people talk of a war against terrorism. But, it is not my choice of words. Security authorities in Germany are taking actions against terrorists and criminals. That is a big difference.“

Do jihadists in Germany pose a threat to us?

De Maizière: „Yes, they do. So far, more than 850 people from Germany have traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight in the name of ISIS and other terror groups. Some 140 people have lost their lives there. Approximately one third of those who traveled returned to Germany. Of that number, 70 have gained combat experience. Most of them are younger than 30. More than half of them are German citizens. Those who posess dual citizenship and have fought for a terror group such as ISIS have turned their backs on us and should not be tolerated. Instead, they should be stripped of their German citizenship. Currently, hundreds of people would be affected.“

What do you do with these homecomers?

De Maizière: „Arrests have been made for travelers re-entering Germany. We „accompany“ those who we view as dangerous homecomers to varying degrees.“

Was 9/11 just one of many terror attacks or was it a turning point?

De Maizière: „The attacks of 9/11 embody both; one of many Islamic attacks and a historic turning point. It was an attack straight into the heart of the West. The fact that al-Qaeda terrrorists were able to implement such a massiv attack on US soil constituted a turning point: one that accompanies us to this day. Since then, the fight against Islamic terrorism has remained a constant challenge.“

Will we ever return to a pre-9/11 world?

De Maizière: „No! Nobody can return to a world that died with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This page of history cannot be turned back. Yet, we must not forget that terror did exist before 9/11, including in Germany. RAF terrorists killed 34 people, spreading fear and terror for two decades. And, for more than a decade, the National Socialist Underground (NSU) left a trail of death in their wake, killing 10 people altogether!“

How has terrorism changed over time?

De Maizière: „Terrorism committed by RAF was primarily directed against representatives of the state, economy, administration and relatives of the US army. Eventually, it was also directed against regular citizens. RAF used explosives, rocket-propelled grenades, rifles and pistoles as weapons. The NSU killed people in cold blood, driven by a misanthropic ideology. In Islamic terrorism, which is perpetrated by al-Qaeda and ISIS, lives and bodies have turned into dangerous weapons. The 9/11 pilots used hijacked airplanes as bombs, taking into account their own death. The suicide bombers from Paris and Brussels followed the same perverse logic and turned themselves into weapons by putting on suicide belts.“

Are we ever going to reverse a Security Act that was passed after 9/11?

De Maizière: „We are not going to take back any anti-terrorism laws which we need in the fight against terrorism. Our lives have become safer as a result. The measures were and are necessary. They were and remain proportionate.“

ISIS has brought terror to Germany in 2016. Do we have to get used to it?

De Maizière: „We must never get used to terrorism. I will never accept the fact that Islamic terrorism has reached Germany. Yet, we have to withstand the notion that we have become a target for Islamic terrorists. Surveys have shown that Germans are fearful of terror attacks. Nonetheless, they continue to live their lives in a normal fashion. And this is a good thing!“

Are we gradually becoming numb to the ever-new sequences of images depicting violence and terror?

De Maizière: „I don’t feel numb when I see these images. Though the question remains whether it is appropriate to air these pictures. Images of violence and terror may contribute to the fact that the perpetrators and their cruel deeds are viewed as heroic. This decision, however, has to be made by the media.“

Norbert Hofer will now have another chance to win the presidential election in Austria at the beginning of October.

Since 9/11 we have experienced a wave of Islamic violence perpetrated against the West. As a result, have all Muslims in our society become suspects?

De Maizière: „Although terrorism has something to do with Islam, Islam by no means carries the seeds of terrorism. Islamists are exploiting the religion by invoking Islam. Therefore, it is unjustified to be suspicious of all Muslims, since most victims of terrorist attacks are actually Muslims. It is important though that Muslims distance themselves from Islamist terrorists.

It is important that Muslim communities notice if a particular person is in the process of radicalization and take timely measures.“

After 9/11 we went to war in Afghanistan. What did we gain from it?

De Maizière: „Afghanistan is not exporting terrorism anymore. That is a success. But, many places at the Hindu Kush are not as safe as we want them to be. We still have to work on that. Afghanistan, in particular, has to step up its efforts.“

Have we found the right balance between civil liberties and the need for security within the past 15 years?

De Maizière: „Yes. We haven’t changed the liberal character of our society. On the contrary: We have shown that we unswervingly stand up for our values and that we are willing to fight for our freedom and security in our Western community of values when faced with an emergency.“

Is there a superior basic right for safety?

De Maizière: „The right for safety is not mentioned as the most basic value in the constitution. A key aspect of the rule of law is, however, to ensure the safety of citizens. Therefore, the state has the sole right to the use of force, instead of citizens keeping guns in their homes.“

Was it justified that US security authorities, such as the NSA, grew their eavesdropping program? Or did they simply adopt an attitude of paranoia that influenced the entire world?

De Maizière: „The unfounded surveillance program applied by the US was clearly excessive. However, I’m not going to forget that we were able to prevent several attempted Islamist attacks within the past 15 years in Germany due to US information related to the attacks.“

Almost one year ago today, a suspected terrorist plot was thought to have been foiled in Hannover. Which part of the answers would be a great help in setting our minds at rest with regard to the terror scare?

De Maizière: „We had received information that a terrorist group was planning to carry out attacks in Hannover, both at the soccer stadium and the main train station. I did not want to cause panic by making a public announcement. I would do it again, but phrase it differently!“